Oven vent for smooth top range

ABSTRACT

A smooth top range having a vent for venting hot oven gases through the continuous panel cooktop portion. The vent is arranged to direct the gases away from manually operable control elements disposed on the cooktop so as to avoid high temperature conditions thereof and to avoid directing of the hot gases against a user thereof.

United States Patent 1191 Doner Sept. 3, 1974 OVEN VENT FOR SMOOTH TOPRANGE 3,530,847 9/1970 Saponara [26/21 R 3,646,927 3/1972 Perl l26/39 J[75] Invent John Done" Mano, Ohm 3,785,364 1/1974 Reid et al 1215 39 .l

[73] Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation, Benton Harbor, Mich. PrimaryExaminerEdward G. Favors Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Hofgren, Wegner,Allen, [22] Filed. Jan. 2, 1974 stenman & M cco r d [21] Appl. No.:430,176

[57] ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl. 126/21 R, 126/39 J A oo op range having avent for venting hot oven [51] Int. Cl. F24c 3/00 gases o gh he con inou panel cooktopiportion. [58] Field'of Search 126/21, 21 A, 39 J, 39 C,'Th n i rr nged to direct the gases away from 126/273 R manuallyoperable control elements disposed on the cooktop so as to avoid hightemperature conditions [56] Ref ren es Cit d thereof and to avoiddirecting of the hot gases against UNITED STATES PATENTS a user thereof-Stoligrosz 126/39 C 13 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures OVEN VENT FOR SMOOTHTOP RANGE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention Thisinvention relates to cooking ranges, and in particular to means forventing such ranges.

2. Description of the Prior Art In the conventional cooking range havingan oven portion and a cooktop portion, means may be provided for ventingthe oven through the cooktop portion. Thus, as shown in United StatesLetters Patent No. 2,384,262 of Earl F. Rutan, the oven may be ventedthrough the center of the cooktop heating elements.

In United States Letters Patent No. 2,375,047 of Ernest E. Sutherland, avent is provided for venting the oven through the top wall of the rangeoverlying the oven. In United States Letters Patent No. 2,387,734, ofAlfons Bamsteiner, a vent is provided adjacent the'surface units of thecooktop adjacent the portion of the top surface of the range overlyingthe oven. In the Barnsteiner heating apparatus, the outlet from the ventdirects the air over the entire cooktop surface.

In an improved form of range presently commercially available, thecooktop of the range comprises a continuous panel of a glass-ceramicmaterial effectively defining a smooth top. The cooktop includes acooking surface portion, and a control portion conventionally at oneside of the cooking surface portion on which are provided suitablymanually operable control knobs for selectively controlling theoperation of the individual cooktop heating elements. As such cooktopsare effectively sealed across the top of the range and have no openingstherethrough for passing the hot gases from the oven, a problem hasarisen in the venting of hot oven gases in a manner to prevent harmfulheating of the range controls while effectively venting the oven.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprehends theprovision, in a range having a continuous panel cooktop, of improvedmeans for venting the oven portion thereof. More specifically, theinvention comprehends providing, in such a range construction, a ventextending from the oven to adjacent the control portion of the cooktop,and means for directing the hot vented gases away from the manuallyoperable control elements of the control portion.

In the illustrated embodiment, the vent passage is defined by a ductextending from the oven through a rear portion of the control portion ofthe cooktop. An outlet grill is provided for directing the vented gasesrearwardly and laterally of the rear control portion and effectivelypreventing discharge of the gases forwardly to the manually operablecontrol elements. Thus, the control elements are prevented from becomingexcessively heated by the vented gases and the gases are prevented fromacting directly on the users handsin the operation of the controlelements in the normal use of the range.

The range oven venting means of the present invention is extremelysimple and economical of construction while yet providing the highlydesirable features discussed above.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Other features and advantages of theinvention will be apparent from the following description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a range having an ovenventing means embodying the inven tion;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view thereof; FIG. 3 is a fragmentaryenlarged vertical section taken substantially along the line 3-3 of FIG.2; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary broken vertical section taken substantiallyalong the line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

' DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the exemplary embodiment ofthe invention as disclosed in the drawing, a range generally designated10 is shown to include an oven portion 11 and a cooktop portion 12. Ovenportion 11 may include a conventional front door 13 and suitablemanually operable controls 14. In the illustrated embodiment, rangel0comprises a set-in range which may be set into a suitable kitchen basecabinet 15, it being understood that the invention is applicable equallyto both set-in and freestanding ranges.

Cooktop 12 comprises a continuous panel cooktop such as conventionallyreferred to as a glass-ceramic smooth cooktop. The cooktop includes acooking surface portion 16 and a control portion 17 with an overlyingframe 18 conventionally formed of stainless steel and including adivider strip portion 19 conventionally dividing the cooking surfaceportion from the control portion. Such smooth cooktop constructionseffec-' tively define a continuous panel top of the range in that thereare no open portions normally capable of providing venting of thesubjacent oven 11 as are available in conventional ranges utilizingheating elements which define portions opening to the subjacent interiorspace of the range. Thus, it is desirable to provide some auxiliarymeans for venting the hot gases from the oven dur ing the operation ofthe oven and the present invention is directed to the concept of ventingsuch gases to a rear portion of the cooktop.

More specifically, as seen in FIG. 1, the invention comprehendsproviding a duct 20 having an inlet 21 overlying the oven 11 and anoutlet 22 extending through the control panel portion 17 rearwardly'ofknobs 23 of controls 14. A grilled deflector 24 is mounted on thecontrol panel 17 to direct the hot gases from outlet 22 rearwardly andlaterally away from" the control knobs 23 as illustrated in. FIGS. .1and 2. As shown, the hot gases directed to the left by grilled deflector24 flow along the rear of cooktop portion 16 and the hot gases which aredirected to the right from grilled deflector 24 are directed laterallyaway from the range. The gases directed rearwardly may flow upwardlyalong the rear wall surface 25 behind the range.

Control panel. 17 is provided with a suitable opening 26 through whichoutlet 22 extends, as shown in FIG. 3. Outlet 22 may comprise a flangedsleeve receiving the upper end 27 of the vent duct 20 with the outturnedflange portion 28 of outlet 22 resting on the panel about opening 26.

vided with suitable openings 33 and the rear wall is provided with asuitable opening 34 for conducting the hot oven gases laterally andrearwardly from the deflector as discussed above.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the grilled deflector may extendsubstantially fully across the width of the control panel portion 17.

in the illustrated embodiment, grilled deflector 24 comprises a castelement formed of a suitable metal, such as zinc, which may have adecorative finish by suitably selectively providing satin-brushed andbright polished areas. The control knobs 23 may be formed of a suitabletemperature-resistant synthetic resin, such as Marbon-Cycoloy KHP,manufactured by Borg-Wamer Corporation, comprising an alloy of syntheticpolymers with ABS resins.

The use of grilled deflector 24 effectively prevents injury to the userof the range by avoiding contact of the hot vented gases from the ovenwith either the control knobs 23 or with the users hands when the useris manipulating the control knobs 23 in controlling operation of cooktop12, while yet the hot gases may be vented closely adjacent the controlknobs effectively minimizing space requirements in the range. Thus, theinvention comprehends providing such an improved range constructionwhich may be arranged in a conventional manner as regards the layout ofthe cooktop, controls and relationship of the oven to the cooktop.

The foregoing disclosure of specific embodiments is illustrative of thebroad inventive concepts comprehended by the invention.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. In a range having a continuous panel cooktop defining a cookingsurface portion and a control portion, an oven disposed below thecooktop, and manually operable control elements exposed above thecooktop for controlling the operation of the cooktop, means for ventingthe oven comprising:

.means defining a vent passage extending from said oven to upwardly ofsaid continuous panel cooktop adjacent said manually operable controlelements;

and

outlet means for directing hot vented gases from said vent passage awayfrom said manually operable control elements.

2. The range oven venting means of claim 1 wherein said outlet meansdirects the hot vented gases to'the rear of said cooktop.

3. The range oven venting means of claim 1 wherein said outlet meansdirects the hot vented gases toward said cooking surface portion.

4. The range oven venting means of claim 1 wherein said outlet meansdirects the hot vented gases to one side of the cooktop.

5. The range oven venting means of claim 1 wherein said outlet means isdisposed at the rear of said control portion.

6. The range oven venting means of claim 1 wherein said outlet meansextends upwardly from said cooktop.

7. The range oven venting means of claim 1 wherein said vent passagemeans extends through said control portion of the cooktop' 8. The rangeoven venting means of claim 1 wherein said outlet means definesadeflector upstanding from said cooktop.

9. In a range having a continuous panel cooktop defining a cookingsurface portion and a control portion, an oven disposed below thecooktop, and manually operable control knobs exposed above the cooktopfor controlling the operation of the cooktop, means for venting the ovencomprising:

a duct extending from said oven upwardly through said control portion ofthe cooktop rearwardly of said manually operable control knobs; and

outlet grill means for directing hot vented gases from said duct awayfrom said manually operable control knobs.

10. The range oven venting means of claim 9 wherein said cooktopcomprises a glass-ceramic cooktop.

l l. The range oven venting means of claim 9 wherein said outlet grilldirects the hot vented gases toward the rear of said control portion ofthe cooktop.

12. The range oven venting means of claim 9 wherein said outlet grillhas a width substantially similar to the width of said control portionof the cooktop.

13. The range oven venting means of claim 9 wherein said outlet grilldirects the hot vented gases to over said cooking portion of thecooktop.

1. In a range having a continuous panel cooktop defining a cookingsurface portion and a control portion, an oven disposed below thecooktop, and manually operable control elements exposed above thecooktop for controlling the operation of the cooktop, means for ventingthe oven comprising: means defining a vent passage extending from saidoven to upwardly of said continuous panel cooktop adjacent said manuallyoperable control elements; and outlet means for directing hot ventedgases from said vent passage away from said manually operable controlelements.
 2. The range oven venting means of claim 1 wherein said outletmeans directs the hot vented gases to the rear of said cooktop.
 3. Therange oven venting means of claim 1 wherein said outlet means directsthe hot vented gases toward said cooking surface portion.
 4. The rangeoven venting means of claim 1 wherein said outlet means directs the hotvented gases to one side of the cooktop.
 5. The range oven venting meansof claim 1 wherein said outlet means is disposed at the rear of saidcontrol portion.
 6. The range oven venting means of claim 1 wherein saidoutlet means extends upwardly from said cooktop.
 7. The range ovenventing means of claim 1 wherein said vent passage means extends throughsaid control portion of the cooktop.
 8. The range oven venting means ofclaim 1 wherein said outlet means defines a deflector upstanding fromsaid cooktop.
 9. In a range having a continuous panel cooktop defining acooking surface portion and a control portion, an oven disposed belowthe cooktop, and manually operable control knobs exposed above thecooktop for controlling the operation of the cooktop, means for ventingthe oven comprising: a duct extending from said oven upwardly throughsaid control portion of the cooktop rearwardly of said manually operablecontrol knobs; and outlet grill means for directing hot vented gasesfrom said duct away from said manually operable control knobs.
 10. Therange oven venting means of claim 9 wherein said cooktop comprises aglass-ceramic cooktop.
 11. The range oven venting means of claim 9wherein said outlet grill directs the hot vented gases toward the rearof said control portion of the cooktop.
 12. The range oven venting meansof claim 9 wherein said outlet grill has a width substantially similarto the width of said control portion of the cooktop.
 13. The range ovenventing means of claim 9 wherein said outlet grill directs the hotvented gases to over said cooking portion of the cooktop.